> The protocol obviously can't "scale" to even remotely close to everyday payment systems such as Visa or Mastercard.
Citation desperately needed
> No system where every actor needs to keep a permanent record of every transaction of every other actor forever can scale to the entire planet
If the costs associated with keeping these records are negligible and all the work is done for you electronically by an app on your phone, then yes. It absolutely can scale.
> Please keep the Bitcoin-the-protocol and Bitcoin-the-currency separate.
I am. Bitcoin is the protocol. BTC is the currency.
Citation desperately needed
> No system where every actor needs to keep a permanent record of every transaction of every other actor forever can scale to the entire planet
If the costs associated with keeping these records are negligible and all the work is done for you electronically by an app on your phone, then yes. It absolutely can scale.
> Please keep the Bitcoin-the-protocol and Bitcoin-the-currency separate.
I am. Bitcoin is the protocol. BTC is the currency.